Clutch device.



J. LL TOWNSEND.

CLUTCH DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED, JAN. 12. um.

Patmted Mam 2&1918.

JAMES L. TOWNSEND, 0F MCDONALDS, NORTH CAROLINA.

CLUTCH DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed May 22, 1916, Serial No. 99,141. Divided andPatented Mar. 26, 1918. this application filed January 12,

1917. Serial No. 142,018.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES L. TOWNSEND, a citizen of the United States,residing at McDonalds, in the county of Robeson and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ClutchDevices, of which the following is a specification. 7

The present invention relates to improvements in clutch mechanismespecially de stituting the special subject matter of this invention.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be hereinafter morefully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordancewith my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the driving shaft extremityand the cooperating crank shaft, interlocked with the clutch element ofthe former.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of actuating meansfor the clutch mechanism Throughout the following detail description,and on the several figures of the drawing, similar parts are referred toby like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, and specifically describing this apparatus,the numeral 1 designates a hopper of suitable size for containing thematerial which is to be distributed, such as fertilizer, said hopperbeing supported upon a frame 2 provided with the ground Wheel 3 which inturn is fixedly mounted upon the hollow shaft 4.

The apparatus above generally described is capable of being moved'overthe surface in any desired manner and guided by means of the handlemembers 5 attached to the frame members 2. The material from this hopperis distributed by certain means which is described in'the copendingapplication above referred to and need not be particularly set forth inthis description as it forms no part of my present invention. It issuflicient however, to state that said mechanism embodies a memberadapted to be oscillated and this member is connected by means of theconnecting rod 23 to the pin 26, secured to the crank arm 24; which isformed by bending the end of the shaft 25 at a right angle, said. shaftbeing shiftably mounted in the hollow shaft 4 to which the ground wheel3 is secured. The crank arm 24, as will be noted in Figs. 3 and 4 isslotted to provide for adjustment of the connection 26 for theconnecting rod 23 so that said rod may be easily agitation of thedistributing means incident to movement of the apparatus over thesurface in the operation of the distributor. One extremity of the hollowshaft 4 is provided with clutch elements 4' with which the crank arm 24of the shaft 25 interlocks to cause rotation of the shaft 25 throughoutthe revolution of the wheel 3. The clutch connection just described ismaintained by a spring 27 secured at one end to the forward extremity ofthe frame 2 and connected inadjusted to increase or decrease thetermediate its length to the shaft 25, said spring normally tending tohold the arm 24: in engagement with the elements 4. In order todisconnect the clutch means at will so as to enable movement of thevehicle with out actuation of the distributing means, I provide avertically arranged rock shaft 28 on the frame 2 at one side of thehopper, the lower extremity of said shaft having a lateral arm 29connected by a link 30 to the end of the spring 27. The upper arm of theshaft 28 has connected thereto a rod 31 provided at its rear extremitywith a manipulating grip piece or lever 32 arranged at a convenientposition with respect to a han dle 5 for manipulation by the operator ofthe machine. Upon actuation of the lever 32 the rock shaft 28 will causethe spring 27 to move laterally carrying the shaft 25 therewith anddisconnecting the crank arm 24 from the clutch elements 4, in whichcondition the vehicle may be moved without operating the distributingmeans.

. The actuating means just described for shifting the spring or tensionmeans 27 may readily be modified in a manner such as suggested by Fig. 5of the drawing. In the latter the lower angularly bent extremity of therod 41 is arranged adjacent to the movable end of the spring 27, thisangularly bent extremity constituting a cam which upon rotation of therod 40 by manipulation of the handle 42 will shift the spring 27 and theshaft 25 therewith whereby to disconnect the clutch and thus the driveto the driven member. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. Clutch mechanism of the class described comprising a driving shaftterminating in a clutch element, a driven shaft mounted therein andhaving a crank arm engageable with said clutch element, tension meansconnected to said driven shaft and normally holding the crank arm of thesame in interlocking connection with the clutch element, and rotatablemeans connected to said tension means for releasing the tension on saiddriven shaft to thereby disconnect the clutch.

2. The combination with a wheeled implement including a frame, of ahollow driving shaft journaled on said frame, a crank shaft shiftablymounted in said hollow shaft and having a crank arm at one end thereof,said driving shaft terminating in a clutch element at the end thereofcorresponding to the end of the crank shaft having the element, andmeans revolubly mounted upon 4 0 the frame for movingthe springlaterally thereby to shift the crank shaft and disengage its crank armfrom-theclutch element.

3Q In apparatus of the class described comprising a driving shaft, adriven shaft 4 mounted thereon, clutch means for connecting said drivenshaft with the driving shaft, a spring secured adjacent to the drivenshaft and connected at one end to the driven shaft,

said s3rin constitutin an o erative element forthe driven shaft,andoperating means cooperating with the aforesaid end of the spring forshifting the spring laterally and the driven shaft bodily therewith.

t. In apparatus of the class describedy' comprising a wheeled frame, adriving shaft mounted on said frame, a crank shaft shiftabl mounted insaid driving shaft, a spring secured at one end to the frame and to the,

crank shaft at its other end manually ioperating means mounted on saidframe and having angular means at one end'cooperating with the lastmentioned endrof the spring for shifting the said spring laterally andthe crank shaft bodily therewith, and clutch means intermediatesaidcrank and driving shafts. 4 V g In testimony whereof I affix mysignature.

JAMES L. TOWNSEND} Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

t Washington, D. 0.

